The laws might help correct a problem in that police departments are failing to file missing person reports on 10 to 40 percent of runaway children within the first 24 hours of receiving notice that a child is missing.
- The reasons for delay can be complex.
- Youth shelters, for example, often want more time than just one day to gain the trust of a runaway child.
- Some children come from abusive homes, and it may not be in their best interest to go back to their parents.
"It's absolutely inappropriate that many runaway children are missing not only from their homes but also from the very databases meant to help law enforcement find them," she said.
Rep. John Conyers of the House Judiciary Committee is sponsoring the new bill in Congress.
Posted By: Aspen/CRC